Sheriffs

1893-94 Back in 1893 James Murphy had a jail overcrowding problem. He considered sending juveniles to Coconino County and asking the City of Phoenix to house female prisoners. Instead, a new jail was built. He left law enforcement to spend … Continue reading →

1891-92 John Britt Montgomery was a rancher, miner, and county supervisor before becoming sheriff. He also married the second school teacher to come to Phoenix. Two years after he died in 1919, his son was elected sheriff.

1889-90 William Gray was one of five brothers in a prominent Phoenix family. As a deputy sheriff, he supervised Maricopa County’s search and rescue efforts after the 1890 collapse of the Walnut Grove Dam on the Hassayampa River.

1887-88 Andrew Halbert was the cousin of Carl Hayden’s mother. He was a confederate veteran who remained a “Southern Gentleman.” He served as a supervisor in Kern County, California and in Maricopa County before becoming sheriff.

1885-86 Noah M. Broadway was one of the original settlers of Phoenix. He was a Civil War veteran, farmer, and sheriff of Maricopa County. Noah Broadway dug a nine mile irrigation ditch and engaged in court battles to prevent others … Continue reading →

1881-84, 1895-98 Lindley H. Orme served four years as sheriff with a ten year break in between his second and third terms. Orme built the first Phoenix jail with incandescent lamps. During Sheriff Orme’s term, repeated smallpox outbreaks required deputies … Continue reading →

1879-80 Ruben Thomas conducted the county’s only legal execution. He came to Phoenix while the superintendent of Wells Fargo. Stage robberies were weekly crimes in those days. He later served in the 11th Territorial Assembly.

1872-1874 Thomas Hayes was elected after being appointed to complete Warden’s term. He was the first sheriff to complete a full two-year term. He also served as assessor and tax collector while a deputy sheriff for Warden.

1871 William Hancock was appointed as the first sheriff when the territorial county was created. He was a farmer, surveyor, lawyer, district attorney, probate judge and postmaster. He drew up the original plans for the city of Phoenix. He was … Continue reading →

1871 Thomas Barnum was the first elected sheriff. He was elected in May 1871 and resigned in November 1871. He was the cousin to PT Barnum and a forty year resident of Arizona. He helped build the north extension of … Continue reading →

FOP Member Login

Subscribe to Members Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS

ARIZONA FOP LICENSE PLATE

If you are a current or retired Peace Officer in the United States and a current or life member of the FOP, you are eligible for the Arizona FOP license plate.For Members Only

Make the right choice… The Fraternal Order of Police.

With more than 327,000 members, the Fraternal Order of Police is the largest law enforcement union in the United States. The benefits of membership include access to the best legal plan available to law enforcement, aggressive employment representation, effective political relationships at the local, state and national level and a reputation for taking care of our membership.